百年孤独(英文版)-第20部分
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。 “Look at the air； listen to the buzzing of the sun； the same as yesterday and the day before。 Today is Monday too。？That night Pietro Crespi found him on the porch； weeping for Prudencio Aguilar； for Melquíades； for Rebeca’s parents； for his mother and father； for all of those he could remember and who were now alone in death。 He gave him a mechanical bear that walked on its hind legs on a tightrope； but he could not distract him from his obsession。 He asked him what had happened to the project he had explained to him a few days before about the possibility of building a pendulum machine that would help men to fly and he answered that it was impossible because a pendulum could lift anything into the air but it could not lift itself。 On Thursday he appeared in the workshop again with the painful look of plowed ground。 “The time machine has broken；？he almost sobbed； “and ？rsula and Amaranta so far away！？Aureliano scolded him like a child and he adopted a contrite air。 He spent six hours examining things； trying to find a difference from their appearance on the previous day in the hope of discovering in them some change that would reveal the passage of time。 He spent the whole night in bed with his eyes open； calling to Prudencio Aguilar； to Melquíades； to all the dead； so that they would share his distress。 But no one came。 On Friday。 before anyone arose； he watched the appearance of nature again until he did not have the slightest doubt but that it was Monday。 Then he grabbed the bar from a door and with the savage violence of his unmon strength he smashed to dust the equipment in the alchemy laboratory； the daguerreotype room； the silver workshop； shouting like a man possessed in some highsounding and fluent but pletely inprehensible language。 He was about to finish off the rest of the house when Aureliano asked the neighbors for help。 Ten men were needed to get him down； fourteen to tie him up； twenty to drag him to the chestnut tree in the courtyard； where they left him tied up； barking in the strange language and giving off a green froth at the mouth。 When ？rsula and Amaranta returned he was still tied to the trunk of the chestnut tree by his hands and feet； soaked with rain and in a state of total innocence。 They spoke to him and he looked at them without recognizing them； saying things they did not understand。 ？rsula untied his wrists and ankles； lacerated by the pressure of the rope； and left him tied only by the waist。 Later on they built him a shelter of palm brandies to protect him from the sun and the rain。
Chapter 5
AURELIANO BUEND？A and Remedios Moscote were married one Sunday in March before the altar Father Nicanor Reyna had set up in the parlor。 It was the culmination of four weeks of shocks in the Moscote household because little Remedios had reached puberty before getting over the habits of childhood。 In spite of the fact that her mother had taught her about the changes of adolescence； one February afternoon she burst shouting into the living room； where her sisters were chatting with Aureliano； and showed them her panties； smeared with a chocolatecolored paste。 A month for the wedding was agreed upon。 There was barely enough time to teach her how to wash herself； get dressed by herself； and understand the fundamental business of a home。 They made her urinate over hot bricks in order to cure her of the habit of wetting her bed。 It took a good deal of work to convince her of the inviolability of the marital secret； for Remedios was so confused and at the same time so amazed at the revelation that she wanted to talk to everybody about the details of the wedding night。 It was a fatiguing effort； but on the date set for the ceremony the child was as adept in the ways of the world as any of her sisters。 Don Apolinar Moscote escorted her by the arm down the street that was decorated with flowers and wreaths amidst the explosion of rockets and the music of several bands； and she waved with her hand and gave her thanks with a smile to those who wished her good luck from the windows。 Aureliano； dressed in black； wearing the same patent leather boots with metal fasteners that he would have on a few years later as he faced the firing squad； had an intense paleness and a hard lump in his throat when he met the bride at the door of the house and led her to the altar。 She behaved as naturally； with such discretion； that she did not lose her posure； not even when Aureliano dropped the ring as he tried to put it on her finger。 In the midst of the。 murmurs and confusion of the guests； she kept her arm with the fingerless lace glove held up and remained like that with her ring finger ready until the bridegroom managed to stop the ring with his foot before it rolled to the door； and came back blushing to the altar。 Her mother and sisters suffered so much from the fear that the child would do something wrong during the ceremony that in the end they were the ones who mitted the impertinence of picking her up to kiss her。 From that day on the sense of responsibility； the natural grace； the calm control that Remedios would have in the face of adverse circumstances was revealed。 It was she who； on her own initiative； put aside the largest piece that she had cut from the wedding cake and took it on a plate with a fork to Jos？Arcadio Buendía。 Tied to the trunk of the chestnut tree； huddled on a wooden stool underneath the palm shelter； the enormous old man； discolored by the sun and rain； made a vague smile of gratitude and at the piece of cake with his fingers； mumbling an unintelligible psalm。 The only unhappy person in that noisy celebration； which lasted until dawn on Monday； was Rebeca Buendía。 It was her own frustrated party。 By an arrangement of ？rsula’s； her marriage was to be celebrated on the same day； but that Friday Pietro Crespi received a letter with the news of his mother’s imminent death。 The wedding was postponed。 Pietro Crespi left for the capital of the province an hour after receiving the letter； and on the road he missed his mother； who arrived punctually Saturday night and at Aureliano’s wedding sang the sad aria that she had prepared for the wedding of her son。 Pietro Crespi returned on Sunday midnight to sweep up the ashes of the party； after having worn out five horses on the road in an attempt to be in time for his wedding。 It was never discovered who wrote the letter。 Tormented by ？rsula； Amaranta wept with indignation and swore her innocence in front of the altar； which the carpenters had not finished dismantling。
Father Nicanor Reyna—whom Don Apolinar Moscote had brought from the swamp to officiate at the wedding—was an old man hardened by the ingratitude of his ministry。 His skin was sad； with the bones almost exposed； and he had a pronounced round stomach and the expression of an old angel； which came more from； simplicity than from goodness。 He had planned to return to his pariah after the wedding； but he was appalled at the hardness of the inhabitants of Macondo； who were prospering in the midst of scandal； subject to the natural law； without baptizing their children or sanctifying their festivals。 Thinking that no land needed the seed of God so much； he decided to stay on for another week to Christianize both circumcised and gentile； legalize concubinage； and give the sacraments to the dying。 But no one paid any attention to him。 They would answer him that they had been many years without a priest； arranging the business of their souls directly with God； and that they had lost the evil of original sin。 Tired of preaching in the open； Father Nicanor decided to undertake the building of a church； the largest in the world； with lifesize saints and stainedglass windows on the sides； so that people would e from Rome to honor God in the center of impiety。 He went everywhere begging alms with a copper dish。 They gave him a large amount； but he wanted more； because the church had to have a bell that would raise the drowned up to the surface of the water。 He pleaded so much that he lost his voice。 His bones began to fill with sounds。 One Saturday； not even having collected the price of the doors； he fell into a desperate confusion。 He improvised an altar in the square and on Sunday he went through
